Supplemental tuning device for violins



G. A. STAPLES March 31, 1925. 1,531,458

SUPPLEMENTAL TUNING DEVICE FOR VIQLINS Filed March 20, 1924 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

GEORGE A. STAPLES, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SUPPLEMENTAL TUNING DEVICE FOR VIOLINS.

Application filed March 20, 1924. Serial No. 700,627.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, GEORGE =A. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supplemental Tuning Devices for Violins, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to supplemental tuning devices for violins and more particularly to a supplemental tuning device for the E string thereof. As well known to those familiar with the art, the violin E string is extremely difficult to adjust dur ing playing, the peg controlling tuning of this string being located in such a position upon the scroll that it is not only difficult but practically impossible to obtain an accurate adjustment thereof during playing. Since this string is the one which is in most frequent need of adjustment, being the lightest and the one most frequently used, it is desirous that some supplemental means be provided for tuning the string so that this adjustment may be effected during playing. This invention accordingly contemplates the provision of a device which is readily accessible by the left or supporting hand of the player for adjustment of the string during playing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be applied to the violin without marring the delicate finish thereof and which may be attached to av violin with the greatest ease and rapidity and without altering the construction thereof.

A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be very cheaply produced and which will not detract from the appearance of the instrument.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a'preferred embodiment-f my invention and wherein Figure 1 isa perspective view showing a supplemental tuning device constructed in accordance with my invention applied to a violin;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the various parts of the device, the device being removed and the parts separated for clarity in illustration;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device;

Figure at is a. transverse sectional view therethrough Figure 5 is a plan view showing a modi fied construction of the lever 25.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral indicates the scroll of a violin including the usual peg box 11 through the side walls of which are extended pegs 12 upon which are wound the ends of strings 13 which at one end of the box pass over the nut 14 of the instrument. The E string 13 ofa violin, whether the player be right or left-handed, is always disposed adjacent one wall of the peg box 11 and upon that peg having its head adjacent this wall, and most nearly adjacent the nut 14.

In accordance with my invention I provide a support 15 U-shaped in cross section adapted to straddle this wall of the peg box, the support being curved longitudinally to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the upper edge of the wall so that it fits securely thereagainst, one arm of the support, indicated at 16, being that arm which is disposed against the inner face of the peg box wall upon which the support is mounted, having projecting inwardly therefrom pins 17 for engagement in this wall of the peg box, The other arm of the support has adjnstablv directed therethrough threaded elements 18 adapted to abut against a removable thrust plate 19 disposed between this arm of the support and the adjacent face of the wall of the peg box. That face of the thrust plate 19 which engages against the wall of the peg box has preferably secured thereto a felted surfacing 20 so that the pressure placed by this plate upon the wall of the peg box will not mar the same.

The upper wall of the support has ex tending inwardly therefrom a flange 21 which extends beyond the outer face of the inner arm 16 and has directed therethrough the threaded stem 22 of a knurled adjusting nut 23. To that end of the wall 16 next adjacent the nut 14 when the support is in applied position is pivoted, as at 24, a lever 25 one end of which has an enlarged portion 26 underlying the stem 22 for engagement thereby and the opposite end of which is offset, as indicated at 27, and provided with llU a head 28 having in its upper surface a string receiving notch 29.

In the use of the device in applying the same to a violin care is taken that int-heapplication of the support the lever 25 extends at that side of the E string remote from the adjacent peg box wall-and-thatthe groove 29 of the head 28 receives the E string approximately one-half-way betwe'ei'rthe peg upon which the E string is secured and this nut. Once roperly positioned thesupport is secured in position and this-support is of such size that it' does notin any wayinterfere with normaltuning of the E string by the peg. lVith this device in position rough tuning can be-acconiplished by: the peguand a finer adjustment by varying the position of the adjusting screw- 23. It will beobviousto those familiarwith the handling of a violin thatthe adjusting n'ut'23 beinglocated at the upper surface of the scroll is muchmore readily accessible to the support-' ing hand, by means of which tuning is 'accomplished during actualplaying, than the Estring'peg and in fact that it will be as readily accessible as the D and G string pegs which are very readilytuned dur'mgI playing. I

WVhileIhave above referred to the head end of thelever as extending at that side'of the E string remote from the peg box wall upon which the device is mounted, it will,'of course, be obvious that if desired this lever could extend at the opposite side of the string, this being made possible by con} structing the lever "as shown in- Figure 5, the lever having intermediate its ends an offset portion 30 providing aspace for the-passage of the string. It-will also be obvious that while I have above referred to a grooved head as a means for-supporting and guidingthe'string', other means may be provided as, for example, the peg 31-carried bythe end of the lever in th'efigure above referred to.

It will fi'irthermore beobvious that 'theapplicati'on of the device to a violin will not injure the appearance ofthe same ina-ny way and that thedevice may bevery readily and cheaply produced Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capableof a certain range ofwithout departingtfrom thespirit of my in vention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:--

1. In a supplemental tuning device for violins and in Icombination' with a violin having the usual scrollinoludingthe peg boxand pegs for controlling the p'o'sitions of the strings," a support mounted upon the upperedge 0f on'e-wal-l of the peg bo-x, a lever pivoted toth'e'support andextending at the opposite side of a string of the instrumentfrom" the wall upon which the support is change and Y modification:

mounted, said lever having an offset end provided-with "a head engagi ngthe string be- 7 tween the nut and-peg to which the string is:

and pegs for-controlling the positions of the strings, a support mounted upon the upper edge of one wall of the peg box, a lever pivoted to the support and extending. at the-opposite side-of a string of the instrument from thew-all' upon whicha the support is moun ted, said lever having an offset end provided with a head engagingthe string between the nut and peg to which the string "is secured, and means for adjusting the position of the lever upon the support, said head having a groove therein receiving the string.

3; In a supplemental tuning device for violins and in combination with a violin-haw ing the usual scrollincluding the peg box and pegs :for=controlling=thepositions of the strings, edge of one-wall of thepeg box, a lever pivoted to the support and: extending at the opposite" side of a string of the instrument from thewall upon which the support is mounted,said lever havingan'ofiset end provided with a head engagingthe string between the'nut and peg to which the string is secured, means for-adjusting the position of the lever upon the'support, said support comprising a member U-shaped in cross -secti on to straddle'the peg box wall and longitndinally curved toconfor'mto the curvature of theupper edge-of the pegbox wall, means upon the inner arm of the support for-engagingthe inner: face of the peg box wall upon which the support is mounted, a: thrust plate arranged between the opposite wall of the support and the outer face of the peg boxwall, and means extending through the last named wall for moving the thrust plate a support mounted upon'the upper firmly into engagement'witli the peg box wall;

43 In" asu'pplementaltuning device for violins and in combination with a violin having the usual scroll including-thepeg box and pegsfor controllingthe position of the strings, a support mounted v upon the upper edge of one wall' of the peg box; a lever pivoted to the support and extending adjacent thestring: of the instrument to-be tuned,- said lever having v atits end a. string engaging portion engaging the'string midwayrbetween the nut and the pegto which the string is se-' cured, and means foradj-usting'the position of the lever upon the support.

In testimony whereof signature.

enouen A. STAPLES.

I hereunto aflix my 

